I will continue my journal from my last letter
which was written on the Sunday 15th inst. I stated that next day I exp[e]cted
to be in St Johns, but I was disappo[i]nted. on Monday morning I took
my carpet bag on my sholder walked 7 miles to the Stage road & waited
3 Hours for the Stage when it came along it was loaded down & would
not take me Had left 5 other passengers back. Here I was on foot
42 miles from St Johns with my carpet bag in Hand & no conveyance
for 3 days I did not stop long to meditate or complain of my
situation but swung my carpet bag over my shoulder & started
on my way which lay mostly through those dens burnt forest with
but few inhabitants it was twelve miles to the next Stage Home
After traveling 5 miles I o[v]ertook an Irishman for company on the
same road the ownly benefit from his company might have been in
case of an attack from Bears & wolves which inhabited the forest
that I had to go through. I got a man that came along with a
waggon to carry my Bag 5 miles to the Stage Home which was a great
rele^i^af to me as I could not ride myself. I reached the Stage Home
at 1 oclo[c]k making 19 miles walk. I Here got a chance to send my
carpet Bag by a couple of Ladies to the next Stage Home 16 mils farther
where I would Have to walk & stop at night if I went any further
while I was taking dinner I lost the Irishman so I was left alone aga[i]n
I started on my journey was already getting very bat[te]red & weary, but I fo[u]nd
my last 16 miles was all I could possibly get through arived at dusk
evry cord & sinew in my body was sore from Head to foot for I had walked
about 35 miles & carried the carpet bag some 15 miles ^such^ a walk I ha[v]e
not before taken for 10 years. I could not eat & went to bed sick
17th I arose this morning but could Hardly sta[n]d on my feet got
some breakfast & started for St Johns 16 mils further after walking 1/2
a mile I got a ride to St Johns with a gentleman merchant, & it was a great
blessing to me for I felt I could ne[v]er walk there. the last 40 miles
I came through was all burnt over by the late fires sweeping mills, Hous[e]s
Lumber yards & evry thing before it. I saw some of the forest still on
fire. St Johns is quite a large bus[i]ness place. the steemer was to
was to leave For Frederickton which I had to take in an hour aftr
I got in the city so I had but little time to see St Johns. I fou[n]d the place
had part of it been burned & the rest of it was in great excitemet in
consequence of a row they had a day or two before I got there A company of
Orangemen marched in p[r]ossessi[o]n the Catholics stoned & bricked
them they then armed theirselves & fought with pistols guns swords
&c & 15 or 20 were killed & many wounded. I visited the place of the
acc^t^ions & from the ball & shot Holes in the windows doors & Homes
I wonder that many more were not killed it is supposed it will
be renewed. I took steemer & rode to Frederickton 100 miles up the St John
River arived at 8 oclok I was still very lame & sore with my walking. I f[o]u[n]d
the country both sides of the St Johns River the most beautiful
farming country almost that I ever saw for so long a distance in so
rough a country as the general face back in in the timber lands
appears. I put at ^up^ at the Temperance Hotel in York Street. A stranger in a stra[n]ge
country. It rained most of the way up the river yet I stayed most
of the time on deck to view the country & to see the Salmon & Sturgeon
jump out of water.
18th I learned this morning that I could not
leave for Miramichi for 3 days, but musst remain there. O How Horrible
to be shut up 3 or 4 days in a town for the wa[n]t of conveyance it is not so
in the States. I found Frederickton a very beatiful Location upon the Bank of the
river ground lever^l^ but all the streets runing through it to the west in a
strait line terminated a mile from the city on the top of a High Moutain
with a gradual risse. After examineing the city a little I went to the
Post Maste[r]s to see if I could get any New York papers He told me
the ownly Man in the city who took the New York Journal of Commerce
was the Hon Mr Partlow Member of Parliament. I asked him wha[r]e He
lived, for I was determined to Have the paperss. He told me. I called upon
the Hon Gentlemen. He treated me with all politeness loaned the pape[r]s
to me each day as they came in up to the Hour I left from them
I got much News from the States. Learned that in 10 weeks the deaths
in St Louis am[o]unted to 4321 in a pop of 45,000 that July 10th their was 190
burials there. I read the New York papers up to the 12th which I was
glad to get to pass away my time I attended a presbyterian meeting
at night. the most was done was to sprnkle a litle water in a Babys back
& called it Baptized which was solemn mockery befoe God
20th I took passage at 11 oclok to day in a thing they call a stage to ride n^i^ght
& day 100 miles to Miramichi through the forest. I will describe the stage
one pairs of Horses was put onto the tongue of an open lumber Waggon
with two seats in it the 1st seat was occupied by the drivers & Mr
Frazier with their feet on the Mail Bag. I occupied the 2nd seat above
making a driver & two passengers the Bottom of the Box ran out behind
the waggon 4 feet upon which stood a large Heavy chest. next was
another waggon with the long run under the first waggon & fastened
to it with ropes the se[c]ond waggon was loaded with wood
& trunks And with this train of two waggons & lumber hitched behind two Horses we
started to travel all day & all night through a forest country vary Hilly for 100 miles
And when I herd the driver tell about getting through in 24 Hours I thought
it would be more likely to take a week for I did not see how He was going to go out
of a walk with such a train of cars behind him But I was soon undecieved & my eyes
were opened for it was very Hilly & long Hills in many places & as soon as He came
to the top of a steep Hill, His Horses could not Hold the two waggons if they fell
ever so much disposed to so of course the ownly way was to run fast enough to keep out
of the way of the waggons so by the time I had rode down a few long Hills with the
Horses upon A keen run which speed they would not break untill they reach halfway
to the top of the next Hill. I began to think to we should soon get through our journey
but I thought it much more likely to end at the bottom of some tremendious
precipice or off a bridge in some brook which were vary freequant on the road, th[wax seal]
to End in Miramichi & that to before the light of anoth day. And in this way [wax seal]
we went dashing down Hills, through gullies, & over bridges Je Ho Jeho like unt^i^lll midnight
21st l oclok in the Morning changed Horses, took tea, got in waggon. A fresh pair of Horses
put into A run, down Hills, with two waggons at their Heels, the driver & his companion
both sound asleep dark night, cannot see the road, Nothing but God or Angels can guide
us. Horses go whare they please, & probably it is better for the driver to be asleep than awake
for they may keep the road. My wife need never to call me an unlucky man if I ever live to
see day light again. Phebe would you not like to take a ride with me what an interesting Journey
I am Having. I am telling the truth just as it is we rode all night long in this way to broad
day light & down evry Hill from 10 rods to quarter of a mile long the Horses would go upon
a run & the drivers & Frazier slept for two hours after day light for which I was glad
to see. we came near being dashed to atoms runing down a Hill after day light. I could
not tell so much about the danger in the night but this child did not sleep untill After day light
I then caught myself noding a few times but they were short naps. I Arived At Capt Joseph
Russells at ll oclock And was glad to leave the stage & find myself alive I called upon Br Russell
And we had A Happy Meeting Br & sister Russell were both glad to se me I felt tierd out with riding
& excitement. I went to bed & slept to Hard
22nd Sunday I arose quite unwell. I find Br Russell
located in most a Delightful situation at the Junction of the two branches of the Miramichi
River 7 Mills above Chatham, upon an Island in the Midde of the river 1 1/4 Mile long half a
mile wide all of which He owns He has got a large ship building yard, in 11 years has built
23 ship that will make an Average of 700 tons each. his buildings & improvemets in the stats [states]
saw nothing about his land would be worth $25,000 & his buildings well furnishand. He lanches
launches his last ship next wiek week He will sell all his property Here in september if He does
not get £50 for it He will make a great sacrafice of property Here it is one of the most
beatiful locations I ever saw. He is prresiding over a small bra[n]ch of the Chuch A chapel in
His own Home I attended meeting with him to day mch Edifyed with his Teachings faith
& order in the chuch & His Houshold see 4th Page
As ever your
Wilford Woodruff
They have two meetings on Suday & two during the week day. I ha[v]e not
found greater faith in North America than with Br Russell according to his
priveliges. I preached to them in the afternoon though I was not able I felt
quite sick I felt as though I was threatened with a bit of sickness I
was attacked with a severe Diarhea loss of apetite, sickness at stomach, cold
chills from Head to foot, at othr times fever, (I took a dose of pills) I went
to bed sick & did not rest during the Night.
23rd I arose in the Morning very feeble. No appetite pain in the Bowl Bowels felt
week & languid I took some grewell. I got into a waggon with Brothr & Sister
Russell & rode 7 miles to c^C^hathams called upon one of his sons A merchat
there & Brothr Russell Had me measured for a suit of clothes. A ministar of
the place called to see us He was full of subtlety & wickedness. Brother Russell
contended with him for an Hourr He went off. Mr Russells Son wished me
to Blesse an ownly child 6 mo[n]ths old the Mother opposed & it was omitted we
retu[r]ned Home. I felt a little better in the evening. I walked out with Br
& sister Russell to view their family burying grond ground it contains
2^2^ soms
which was their son who was 22 years old, a Priest in the Chuch died a few weeks
ago with the consumption strong in the faith they were all burried close togethr
under some tall pines on the Islad some of them He has taken up lately frm
different burying grounds & put them to gether as He is going away & is building
a strong wall of masonary aroud it 12 feet square, & 7 feet High
wishes me to dedicate the groud before I leave him. On my arival
Here I recceved a Lettr from Br Cannon saying you Had sent Letters
& papers to me at Bangor & would call them Home to Boston & forwarded
them to me Here. I was glad to hear from you in any way but aftr this
reaches you you need not send any thing further to me for I cannot
get it I pass by the placs before the Letters come, it was the case in
Bangor & I should not got the word from Br Cannon Here if I
Had good luc luck in getting along if He has sent those lettr from Bangor
to me I shall not got them unless I get them next mail, for I leeve
for Bedeque on Satturday & expet Brothe Russell to go with me there & we
Have 100 or more miles of this stage racing to pass through & I do not wa[n]t
to be killed on the way without some friend knowing it. I also receved
a Letter from Elder Gibson informing me He had a leter frm you & gave
the News from it said D Jones lost 50 of his company from St Joseph, up.
spoke of the Epistle, filling the quorum of the Twelve &c, that Appleby was alive &c
said Br Whipple Baptized 11 in New jersey & He 5 in Philadelphia
24th I read the European Times today came by the Last steemer, the Europen
Had a collission with a ship from Charles Bartlet with passengers for New Yok
she sunk in 4 minutes & 134 lives were lost.
Brother Russell got a
letter from Capt MC Ferron of Livrpool saying the Chuch was progressing
Rapidly but said that many of the Emigrats Had died that
Had gone to America with the Cholera, that 200 welsh & 100 English
& Scotch Sants were dead. I was not aware that it had been as fatal
as that among them. But now as I have faithfully given you
my travels up to this nght in writing I thnk I ha[v]e fulfilled
my promise in this thing to you & I must close my lettr
it is late at nght I have just written a long lettr to O Pratt
whch I mail with this we^I^ am weary & must go to rest I do
not rest well nights. am not in good Health but bettr then
I was yesterday. it is as much as my constitution can
stand up under to take such jurneys as I am now taking
& in such a way. it is not over yet I have some Hard week
before me before I shall see Boston. I have over 200 miles of
staging to go yet I expet. But I thnk I shall get home in
safety I shall have no worse travelling by Stage than I have had
for I thnk I should boat it on watr first you will
probably Hear from me again before you see me, my
journey Has been much longer & Harder than I expeted, but
I shall be glad to see my family oncce more give my love
to all who are with meyou & enquire after you me kiss the childrn
for me tell them to be good & I will brng them su[m]thing pretty
good night God Bless you
as ever
W. W.
you must excuse my scribbling for I am weary, & written in a gre[a]t
Hurry
[upside-down text] Mr Wilford Woodruff
Cambridgeport
Mass
United States
[stamp in red ink]
ROBBINSTON
JUL
29
Me.
[stamp in red ink]
NEWCASTLENB
PAID
^10^
^9^ [end of upside-down text]
[stamp in black ink]
ST JOHN
JY 27
1849
N.B.
[2 stamps in black ink]
ST ANDREWS
JY 28
N.B.
Willford Woodruff
July 24th 1849